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Make Nixon President in 1960

Lesson Author
Campos, Josue
Course(s)
U. S. History
Required Time Frame
• 3 Ninety Minute Class Periods
Grade Level(s)
9
10
11
12
Lesson Abstract
Students will create a Social Media Campaign for Richard Nixon in hopes of him winning the 1960 Election.
Description
  • Students will use a graphic organizer to analyze the opening speeches to the 1960 presidential debate.
  • They will analyze the effectiveness of the candidate’s media and have a class discussion on the best campaign media.
  • Classroom discussion on why Kennedy won the election.
  • Students will create a Social Media Campaign for Richard Nixon in hopes of him winning the 1960 Election
Rationale (why are you doing this?)

Students love to create Social media where they share their thoughts and Points of View to their friends and rest of the world. Why not use this expertise and love to create a Social Media campaign for Richard Nixon for the 1960 Presidential election… one of the closest and most contested elections in US History.

Lesson Objectives - the student will
  • Use primary sources to understand & restate each candidate’s political platform.
  • Use primary sources to analyze & discuss how John F. Kennedy’s media campaign was more effective then Richard Nixon’s.
  • Create a Social Media campaign using Nixon’s platform to influence the American people why Nixon is the better Candidate.
  • Jingle/Poster (Instagram/ Garage Band)
  • Social Media Page (Twitter/Facebook)
District, state, or national performance and knowledge standards/goals/skills met

KANSAS CITY, KANSAS DISTRICT STANDARDS

  • KCK15SSAHWWII1 Standard #3: Societies are shaped by beliefs, ideas and diversity
  • Content:

Civil Rights, Social Change

•      Understand that race issues have been a part of the American history landscape since the nation’s beginnings.

•       Understand that the second half of the 20th century saw dramatic changes in how Americans perceived race relations and the concept of equality.

•      compare and contrast the role of the many different groups who took an active stance against discrimination in all parts of American society, including economic, political, and social injustice.

Students will examine the social change that takes place as a result of community, executive, legislative and/or judicial actions that impact equality in everyday life in the United States.

Secondary materials (book, article, video documentary, etc.) needed

https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton

https://www.facebook.com/hillaryclinton/

Primary sources needed (document, photograph, artifact, diary or letter, audio or visual recording, etc.) needed
  • Voss, F., Beard, R., & Cheney, M. (n.d.). Packaging Presidents: 200 Years of Campaigns & Candidates. Pgs 176-77

“Best Qualified”--Nixon

Fully describe the activity or assignment in detail. What will both the teacher and the students do?
  • Students will look through the campaign media (posters, pens, TV ads, etc.) of both Nixon and Kennedy and discuss which candidate’s message and presentation was better.
  • Students will watch the introduction to the 1st Kennedy-Nixon debate to understand and discuss the Political Platform of Richard Nixon
  • Students will create a campaign media for Nixon
  • Teacher will facilitate discussion on the better campaign media
  • Teacher will introduce assignments & go over rubrics
  • Teacher will model Twitter/Facebook by showing current candidates: Trump & Clinton
  • Teacher will monitor progress and answer student questions.
Assessment: fully explain the assessment method in detail or create and attach a scoring guide

 

Part 1: Jingle/ Sloganà Students may use Garage Band/Snapchat or any other Audio editing program to create a Campaign Jingle. They may also use an Instagram to create a “New” Slogan for Richard Nixon.

 

 

Jingle/Slogan Rubric

 

Criteria

At Standard

Approaching

Below Standard

Accuracy

(Content)

Slogan/Jingle subject can directly be traced back to the Candidates platform

Slogan or Jingle may reference platform, but is not the subject.

Slogan/Jingle does not originate from the candidates platform.

Originality

(Product)

Unique, surprising and shows a personal touch

Has some new ideas, but are predictable and conventional

Relies on, or is a play on existing ideas or models.

 

Creativity

(Product)

Well crafted & designed with a distinct style and very much appropriate for its purpose

Has some interesting touches, but lacks a distinct style. Some pieces may not fit well together.

Is ordinary. Too conventional and/or too many elements do not fit in together.

 

 

Part 2: Facebook/Twitterà May create an actual Facebook or Twitter account, or rely on a Template to create a Social Media page for Richard Nixon based off of his 1960 Platform.

 

Twitter/Facebook Rubric

 

 

Criteria

At Standard

Approaching

Below Standard

 

Accuracy

(Content)

“Posts” subjects can directly be traced back to the Candidates platform

“Posts” may reference platform, but is not the subject.

“Posts” does not originate from the candidates platform.

 

Originality

(Product)

Unique, surprising and shows a personal touch

Has some new ideas, but are predictable and conventional

Relies on, or is a play on existing ideas or models.

 

Creativity

(Product)

Well crafted & designed with a distinct style and very much appropriate for its purpose

Has some interesting touches, but lacks a distinct style. Some pieces may not fit well together.

Is ordinary. Too conventional and/or too many elements do not fit in together.